Despite countless assurances that all schools would open on time regardless of unfinished work, several schools in the capital and on the various Family Islands were either unable to open on time, or were closed early leaving parents and teachers angry for the second consecutive year.
Yellow Elder Primary and Adelaide Primary Schools are two of Nassau’s institutions that could not open today because not enough repair work had been done.
They are expected to open on Wednesday.
In a release sent to The Tribune, The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology boasted of a 98.7 per cent success rate of the 154 school projects they undertook. But one parent said that figure is incorrect because some of the 152 schools that are reportedly complete are still being upgraded even as school starts, “so they can’t include those schools in the success rate,” she said, “because they are not complete.”
According to Minister of Education Science and Technology, Alfred Sears, this has been the best year for school repairs in all the four years that he has served. Since he came to office in 2002 this has been the most extensive repair effort yet. But even with all the work done some angry parents and disgusted teachers still don’t think enough was done.
“Despite the challenges and breadth of the projects, 99.7 per cent or 152 have been substantially completed in a timely and efficient manner,” the statement continued.
However, students from some of the “completed” schools, on the elementary and high school level, were sent home early yesterday.
Lloyd Edgecombe, a resident of Bimini, said Bimini All-Age School was not fit to send children to.
“The school is in a deplorable state,” he said. “Some teachers are even thinking of resigning because of the poor state the school is in,” he claimed.
Mr Edgecombe, who was graduated from the school several years ago, said the school is old. He is disappointed in the lack of attention the Ministry has paid to his alma mater.
Bimini’s all-age school is one of two schools on the island, the other is a private school and is in much better shape, Mr Edgecombe said, but not everyone can afford to send their children to Gateway Christian Academy.
The government school has become an embarrassment, he said.
Principal Joel Rolle agreed that the school was in bad shape. However, he said, it is in workable condition.
Mr Rolle said it wouldn’t make sense for the government to repair the school, because the financial implications would be too great. He thinks that building a new school would be a better solution.
Minister of Education Alfred Sears admitted on several occasions that more work needed to be done.
He repeated this opinion again in a telephone interview yesterday. “I’m a bit disappointed,” he said.
“But overall I’m pleased. This is the largest scope of work we’ve ever taken on.”
The ministry spent more than $20 million this year on repairs alone*, doubling the expenditure from the previous year. According to Minister Sears, now that schools are open, uncompleted projects will be completed in the afternoons and during weekends.
[* BahamasB2B Editor’s Note: Much of that money is believed wasted in the awarding of contracts to underqualified PLP cronies who allegedly kick-back money to the government officials who awarded the contracts. ļ¾ This is allegedly how the PLP will finance their 2007 election campaign without “Ninety” Knowles and the other drug dealers finding them, like in 2002.]
By KRYSTEL ROLLE, The Tribune
